Tie slide findings - soldering?

[Kermit]

Hi

I have a commission to make a tie slide - was going to do it from scratch, but then saw these:

http://www.cooksongold.com/Findings/...prcode-NVU-A01

My question is if I solder onto this item, will it lose it's 'spring' at the bent end?

Thanks

[Dennis]

The short answer is yes.

So making it from scratch, you would leave the strip straight, and bend after soldering.
Making it form a ready made, you would either open it from the start, or open and close several times after soldering to restore the spring.

Obviously to avoid plier marks, you would re-bend it around a mandrel, such as the stem of a drill or a knitting needle, using just your fingers, or nylon jawed pliers. Dennis.

[LydiaNiz]

I used one of these recently - overtightened (by crossing the top over the bottom) it before soldering (so it was shut really tight), and used thermo gel on the curved end when soldering. Was dandy afterwards.

[Kermit]

Thank you both, that is really helpful

[Goldsmith]

It would be helpful to see an idea of the design that you have been asked to make before giving advice. There is another method of attaching spring fittings to items and that is by riveting them in place.
In the past I made a money clip which was to have an enamelled design on it's front. I used the riveting process on this job as I didn't want the money clip spring to soften in the enamelling process, I domed the rivets when final fitting and they didn't look bad on the finished job as shown below.



James